A bill to require the provision of alternative drinking water to households whose private drinking water is contaminated with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances from activities of the Department of Defense.
Sponsored By: Senator Gary Peters
Introduced
Summary
This bill would require the Secretary of Defense to offer alternative drinking water to households downgradient from military installations when PFOS or PFOA contamination from Department of Defense activities has exceeded the EPA maximum contaminant level and another household in the same community already qualifies. It would also require the Department to coordinate those offers with cleanup efforts under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and other environmental authorities.
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- Families with private wells: Households that use one or more private drinking water wells not connected to a public water system could get bottled water, a hookup to a public water system, or a home filtration system if contamination from PFOS/PFOA from DoD activities exceeded the EPA limit and another nearby household already qualified.
- Communities with municipal hookups: If all affected households in a community are already connected to municipal water, the Secretary need not provide alternate water.
- Department of Defense operations: The Department must prioritize and coordinate its alternate water offers with CERCLA and related cleanup actions to reduce drinking water exposures.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Help for homeowners with contaminated wells
If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary of Defense to offer alternative drinking water starting on the date of enactment to eligible households downgradient from a military installation. You would be eligible if you use one or more private wells (not on a public system), PFOS or PFOA contamination from DoD activities at that installation has at any time exceeded the EPA maximum contaminant level, and another household in your community was already eligible for DoD-provided water as of enactment. Alternative drinking water could include bottled water, connection to a public water system, or a home filtration system. The Secretary would have to coordinate with CERCLA and other cleanup efforts. The Secretary would not be required to offer water if all affected homes in the community are connected to municipal water or if CERCLA action has already met the relevant Federal or State drinking water standards for PFOS and PFOA.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Gary Peters
MI • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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